Yes, I understand the need to use a suitable tune for a dance but I was more
thinking solo performances (and not only on the pipes) where dancing isn't
the object.
Over the many years , I have heard so many (as I am sure you have) young
players basing their ability on speed rather than on the melodic aspect of
the piece being played - choytes abounding!.
Colin Hill
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anthony Robb" <[email protected]>
To: "Dartmouth NPS" <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, December 10, 2010 9:38 AM
Subject: [NSP] Tempo
On 10/12/10 Colin Hill wrote:
Nice to (be) reminded that they are, after all, dance tunes and not
attempts at a
world speed record. :-)
Hello Colin
Very true, but different dances call for different tempos. Hornpipes
are used for a variety of dances including the clog as linked. They are
also used at a faster tempo for step hop dances such as Drops of Brandy
(I'm talking Northumberland here not Scotland) and Nottingham Swing and
then even a tad faster for the likes of Canadian Barn Dance.
The trick is to use the best tune for the job. Most hornpipes can be
paced to suit the clog tempo (about 66 bpm) but the tunes that best
suit clog are the ones with a fair few triplets such as The Navvie On
the Line, The Friendly Visit, The Quarrelsome Piper etc.
It's interesting that the melodeon player added a few triplets of his
own to help the dancer along and match the steps. The tune he used, The
Underhand (Redesdale), is a tune that also works in its undecorated
state at the step hop tempo (about 96 bpm). In fact for me it feels at
its most musical somewhere between the two tempos.
We do of course have famous hornpipes such as Shield's Hornpipe which
became the Morpeth Rant sitting fairly happily at 106 bpm. Likewise,
Roxburgh Castle and Hesleyside Reel work both as hornpipes and rants.
I do agree that the trend to rattle through reels at, say, 128 bpm is
unsatisfying. Even the old (Scottish dancing) guideline tempo, for
reels, of 116 bpm has been lowered to 106 bpm to give the dancers time
to make more of the steps.
As aye
Anthony
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